Blackbeak Sorority (A Modern ToG AU)
by ReiriTsukimiya
Summary: A Modern Alternate Universe for ToG series focusing on the Thirteen and Elide.
1. Chapter 1

MALIDE (Modern AU)

She was sitting on their usual spot on the diner, waiting for Manon, when she noticed a group of boys checking her out from two tables in front. Elide was a pretty girl. Her hair as black as ink and eyes as dark as onyx. Her triangular face looked good on her despite people mostly prefering the oval shape. Trying not to meet the eyes of the green eyed boy who winked at her earlier, again, she drew her phone out of her bag and checked for Manon's text.

-  
From: Manon  
Abraxos needs to be fixed. Asterin will pick u up. Any problem.

-  
Elide huffed, not confused with Manon not using a question mark even on text. She might as well shouldn't have asked her for her complaints since she couldn't give one, in the end. She raised her eyes from the phone when she saw the green eyed boy again, being urged by his friends to get up and talk to her. She even made another eye contact with him, boosting the boy's confidence to approach her.

She quickly panicked.

She couldn't be talking to him. Talking to a guy. Or any other except from the girls from her sorority, Blackbeak, because, it wouldn't have made a difference. She would just get hurt. With people asking things she couldn't give to them or them getting tired with her shortcoming.  
She hastily texted Manon, fearing the guy more than Manon's slight irritation on her small demand.

-  
To: Manon  
Can u ask Asterin to come faster? Someone's approaching me.  
-

"Hi," the guy greeted. Elide froze, her fingers hovered on her keypad, suspended in motion. She slowly set his phone down on the table and took her time looking up at the guy. The moment their eyes met, Elide's eyes beat triple times.

The guy was handsome, though in normal girl's standards and not in a Blackbeak member's. After all, Blackbeaks were used to handsome boys, immune to them and mostly the ones who made even the most renowned playboys cry in heartbreak. She wasn't hyperventilating because of his looks, or because of love at first sight. It was from huge panic. In the end, it appears now that she could see his face clearly, this wasn't the first time she saw this guy. The last time, he was still Elide Lochan, bound by the law to stay with his uncle Vernon Lochan, trapped on his old house and forced to do chores and earn their living. Though, in reality, she didn't really need to. She was left with a big land and a hefty sum of money by her deceased parents that she could have used for herself from the start, hadn't it been for her greedy uncle who spent half of it wasted on drugs, women, and gambling. He even had the nerve to gamble the land that was hers and lost it to a moustached man named Perrington. In anyway, she couldn't fathom whether to be thankful to the momentary loss of the land she originally grew up in because without that incident, she wouldn't have met Manon and turned her sorry life better. That, was a story for another time. But now, she needed to face this guy.

"I think it wouldn't be bad to ask to be acquainted to such a lovely girl as you," he started, pushing his blond hair back and tilting the side of his lips into a confident smirk.

Elide made a gurgling noise at the back of her throat, only raising the boy's confidence. Her hands were shaking atop her cellphone. She knotted her fingers tighter together, trying to hide her nervousness despite the guy's knowing look.

"My name is Valg, wouldn't you like to join our table right there," he proposed, pointing to his group of friends who were whispering and laughing quietly as if knowing and discussing a nasty secret they knew about her. Perhaps they did know something and were making fun of her, even taking bets.

"since it seems like, you are alone?" he added, raising an eyebrow as if daring her to say otherwise.

Elide bit her lip, only widening Valg's grin and making him run his tongue across his lips, as if he was a wild tiger waiting to pounce on an unassuming deer. She remembered two years ago, when she was outside in the farm, just coming back from milking the cows and limping her way through the cornfield, when said guy suddenly showed up in front of her, forcing her deeper into the field where no one ould see them, trying to take advantage of her. She was screaming, running her voice hoarse though thinking it was useless and trying to kick the boy in his groin despite her ruined foot which was also tied to her normal one, a sick idea by his uncle to prevent her from escaping. As if, she thought, she had anywhere to go.

Her useless protests didn't turn to be useless after all because luckily, Manon and Asterin were in the corn field that time too, being toured by his uncle Vernon for a business deal they were in. Something about the motorcycle trade, a business headed by Manon for the Blackbeak Sorority.

When Manon and Asterin heard her shrieks, they were irritated enough by it to come and check what it was about. When Manon saw her sprawled below the male, she had the bored look of a cold hearted that she was afraid she'd leave her be and go on her way to let the man debase her. She felt relieved when Asterin started shouting and helped her up and away from the unguilty looking man and stared at Asterin and her golden hair as if she was the living sun. But even that didn't last long when she saw his uncle and realized he didn't even care that she almost got raped and started talking to the guy with some other business, ignoring the three of them, to Manon's huge irritation.

She went out of her reverie when she felt Valg's grip on her forearm. She looked at the hand gripping her and at Valg's face with an emotion revealing his familiarity of her face. Elide's heartbeat went quicker. Doubled, tripled... she couldn't go back again. It was a few more months before she would be legally an adult and free to access her inheritance that were witheld from her uncle. She had the sinking feeling that Valg was willing to drag out of her will back to his uncle for another deal that could benefit him. She couldn't even start to think what other kind of punishments her uncle could stomach to do. Thinking of her bound feet even when she didn't do anything before... what more now...

The door chimed, signalling the entrance of a new customer. But it wasn't only once. The bell chimed 13 times, garnering the customers' attention. With it, came the sudden silence andd a few gasps of admiration from a table of teenage girls. Elide turned her look on the group of girls that filed in as if they owned the diner. She met eyes with Manon who briefly looked at the guy holding her forearm and Asterin who saw it and bared her teeth threateningly at Valg. He quickly let go of her, to Elide's shock and also his, based on the way he stared at his hand as if it betrayed him and at Elide as if asking him how it happened. She had no idea.

The only sound was Manon's boot heels clicking on the floor, no other sound from the remaining Thirteen's feet as if only Manon could claim the noise. When they were in front of them, Manon and Asterin in front and the rest behind them, the friends of Valg sitted from the table stood and joined him, as if bodyguards wary of the girls.

"They should be," Elide thought.

Valg stared at Manon who was ignoring him then at Asterin baring her teeth at him, as if asking for a fight, but his face remained impassive though he stepped a little distance away from Elide.

"Elide Blackbeak," Manon called her, ignoring anyone else.

Valg and his friends flinched.

Blackbeak.

Because she was a Blackbeak. And you couldn't mess with them. If you did, you'd be gone or turned to a whimpering baby before you knew it.

"Manon," she said and nodded at her.

This time, the group of guys and some of the people who knew what Blackbeaks were and what calling the Lead Rider by her name alone meant, had their eyes slightly opened in shock. This didn't go unnoticed by Asterin and Manon cocked her head to one side, already asking Elide what she would get in return later, when it was just the two of them in their room in the sorority house.

Onyx eyes met gold ones. Manon smirked in amusement.

"Let's go, newling," she said and walked away, not even looking back if she and the other Thirteen was following her.

She knew they all are.


	2. Chapter 2

Manon remained quiet all throughout the ride back to the sorority house. She didn't show her displeasure on Elide's small request and her annoyance at being forced to drag herself and all the remaining Thirteen with her just to fetch Elide. Unlike those times she got hit on and was attempted to be taken advantage by other men, old or young like Valg. One time was worse when she got backhanded in the face by an old drunkard, wherein Manon took her time beating the poor old man with the rest of the Thirteen, mostly by Asterin. Even then, she got a glare from the girl and a minute lecture by an angry Asterin. But now, both girls were just... quiet. Mostly Manon because Asterin was looking at her from time to time, opening and closing her mouth as if restraining to say something then looking at Manon as if waiting for a cue, which never came. Frustrated, she chose to stay quiet too, going straight to her room when they finally arrived.

Elide stayed on the front door, not knowing if to go to her... their room, fearing Manon's anger that was surely trying to burst from being tightly bottled up (if it was anger she was feeling, really. Because Elide was already panicking from not knowing what was on the girl's thoughts).  
A shoulder collided with her back and she stiffened, knowing it was Manon. She slowly turned to face the girl and saw the thin line on her lips, saw her slowly smile, then clenched her fist, for not knowing whether Manon was being her more intimidating self or being the amused alpha female from before.

"Well, aren't you going to enter the room?" she asked, a brow raised. Elide released a breath in relief and tensed again when she saw the way Manon looked at her.

Eyes like golden steel and shoulders stiff as if prepared for a battle.

She gulped again and walked like a robot to their room, while hyper-aware of Manon inches behind her.  
The moment she heard the door shut behind her, she was thrown against the wall, arms raised and pinned above her head, chin grasped by Manon firmly but not ungentle.

"You couldn't look at my eyes directly after we left. Why?" She asked her, searching her face for telltale signs of an oncoming lie, if she was going to. But she dared not.

"You stayed quiet while we were going back," she said in answer then added her question, "why?"

She released her and her jaw tightened. She looked at the side before returning her gaze on her. Elide flinched at the anger, undisguised anger, she saw on Manon's face.

"What would you expect from me newling? Recruits are rare and you are one. Do you think I can afford to drag you back to the social world a second time?" she said, her voice shaking as if from restraining to raise her voice, which made Elide shudder.  
Manon so rarely got angered. Irritated, yes. Disappointed, yes. But angered? Angered to the point of restraining herself from shouting? It was rare. Very rare and maybe not even Asterin witnessed it. What was their motto again?

 _Obedience. Discipline. Brutality._

She suddenly felt Manon's hands slide down from her arms to her face, landing on her cheeks. She closed her eyes, fearing a slap, only to be met with a tap on her forehead. She tentatively opened her eyes to find herself eye to eye with Manon, their foreheads touching.

"You're never going back. Newlings are hard to find," she said and closed her eyes for a few seconds, foreheads still touching with hers, before she backed away. They stared at each other for a few more moments before Manon removed her clothes until she was only wearing her undergarments. She walked to the bed and laid down, claiming the left side.

They made eye contact for a minute before Elide followed suit, claiming the other side.


	3. Chapter 3

Elide was never at ease when Dorian was around. He was, after all, an Havilliard. His father was the one who stole everything Aelin was supposed to have. The Terrasen Corporation she was to inherit and the loved company her, Elide's, parents joined to build with their sweat and blood alongside with the Galathynius family.

He was okay, they said. Even Aelin did; though she thought maybe her judgement was clouded by the fact that they dated for a while. She believed, after all, that love is separate from matters in once's improvement or maintenance of their social status. Dorian may have loved her, for all she cared, but could still take his father's side.

 _Blood is thicker than water._

Though that didn't seem to be true with regards to her and his uncle Vernon.

 **For him, blood is thicker than water but money could wipe that red stain away.**

She clenched her jaw and looked away from the son of the man who helped with the capture of her parents from the police. Even when it was all just a set up crime. And how he paid someone to shoot- she shook her head, trying to dispel the memories though the pang was already felt.

Mr. Havilliard was evil and still is but at least, only a few more years until Dorian takes over for him. She would be grateful, a lot, if Dorian would let Aelin claim what was hers by returning stolen stocks of the company. If he won't, she hoped Aelin was right about him and could at least try treating his employees with respect. She couldn't fathom how Aedion, Aelin's cousin, managed to bear working for the same man who reduced his beloved cousin's life into that of a mouse. She felt like crying every time she remembers how hard Aelin's life had been before she was saved from a syndicate that uses children to steal money from compassionate parents through a fake adoption as means.

That was heartless for the kids.

 _Letting them hope for a family_ _and crushing it when they're forced to betray who showed them anything close to love._

"To what business do I owe your presence?"

She was shaken out of her thoughts by Manon's voice. She stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at Dorian as if a regal queen. Her eyes strayed to hers for a while before she descended the steps and came close to Dorian, looming over his seated form. Dorian dragged his eyes upward and gold met sapphire.

"Manon," he murmured then gave a slight nod to Elide's direction, to her surprise. She didn't guess he knew about her presence, or cared. She gave a tight-lipped smile anyway. Just to be polite.

"This must be important matters. Should be, Havilliard," she said, going to the opposite couch from him, separated only by a glass table with a potted plant on top. Elide prayed the pot could last long in case a fight broke out. Not that she'd expect that from Dorian; not with his proper sitting posture with hands resting on his lap, like a well-mannered princess.

"Yes," he answered and placed a folder, that she hadn't realized he was carrying before, in the table. Manon didn't seem to have any inclinations of getting it from his outstretched hand.

Manon stared at the folder impassively before looking back at Dorian. Realizing, again, that Manon didn't feel like showing any interest with the thing, Dorian explained what he came for.

"I'm sure you're aware of the unfortunate encounter we had with Chaol last Friday wherein he tried pointing a gun at you when you had my neck gripped in your arms..." he trailed off, wincing at the memory he mentioned.

Elide's brows furrowed deep. What could have triggered Manon to strangle Dorian Havilliard? Perhaps he was truly like his father, villainous and just really happy with being it? She tried to count in her head the list of reasons why Dorian Havilliard was a nice guy, like an overgrown Fleetfoot, as given to her by Aelin. She was in count three when she tuned in the thinly disguised desperation in the company-heir boy's voice.

"I'm willing to change or repair the broken bike if you could retract the case you filed against Chaol, Manon. Chaol can't have issues now or he'd be dead by his father and quickly sent back to Anielle. I need him as a confidant right now," he told her, point on, no attempt at charming his way through it, probably because he knew it wouldn't work with someone like Manon.

Manon drummed her fingers on her crossed arms before she considered this and answered.

"Then I demand a cut in the oil price market."

There was silence.

Elide knew that the Havilliard's were at the top of the oil industry. When they go high, other competitors might stay their prices at low range to gain profit although the Havilliard's still end up being first. However, lowering their oil price would be a greater blow for the other oil companies. They would have no choice but lowering theirs too because the others that go for them might just end up switching to Havilliard.

"That might take some time, Blackbeak," Dorian said with a sigh.

It was evident with his tired look that whatever Manon would ask for was as good as granted. It looked like the man was desperate enough to settle whatever dispute that Chaol had with Manon to easily agree, no matter the difficulties.

"Two weeks is as far as the stretch I can tolerate," Manon added.

Dorian opened his mouth then seemed to change his mind on whatever he was to say.

"Okay," he said simply and left at Manon's signal (which was a flick of her fingers).  
-

"Was it really necessary to ask that? I know our sorority, under your command, manufactures the most advertised and probably, most damned expensive motorbike there is on this piece of land called Europe but were we really desperate for that oil?" I asked her, my brows furrowed.

It was just really irritating not having an idea with what was going in her mind. I should be used to it but that doesn't mean I couldn't ask when I thought it was safe.

"I though you didn't like him?"

I opened and closed my mouth, like a carp.

I knew I didn't but it's just...

She must have seen my answer on my face because she smiled, slowly, and bended down to whisper in my ears.

"Having your whims answered is power, Elide," she whispered.

And that was the end of it.  
-x

AN: Hello. So I wrote this days before EoS was released. And can I just say Manorian steamy scene made me feel awkward as hell? I was supposed to like it O guess but... I didn't. Not really.


End file.
